Apparatus for cleaning vehicle bodies



Jan.- 3, 1928. 6 1,654,664

H. D. PARKER APPARATUS FOR CLEANING vmucm BODIES Filed une 1926 a Sheets-Sheet v1 INVENTOR Fig.5 Q PfiE/Qfi ATTORNEY H. D. PARKER.

,APPARATUS FOR CLEANING VEHICLE BODIES Jan. 3, 1928.

3 Sheets heeg 3 Filed June 14, 1926 v I 1 INVENTOR HEBERZZPHHKER ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1928.

APPARATUS Filed June 14, 1926 1,654,664 H. D. PARKER FOR CLEANING VEHICLE BODIES S Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 'A'TTORVNEY Patented Jan. 3, 1928..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- EEBEB D. PARKER, OF NILES TOWNSHIP, BERBIEN COUNTY, HIUHMAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. COBPORATION' OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING VEHICLE BODIES.

Application filed June 14, 1926. scan No. 115,925.

This invention. relates vto the cleaning of automobile bodies and particularly to a new and novel means for removing substances lised in the cleaning of .rust and other foreigi1 substances from the same preparatory to the painting thereof.

Before vehicle bodies are painted it is necessary that the surfaces be entirely freed of all rust, dirt and the. like. Various methods and cleaning substances are used which efiiciently and effectively clean these surfaces. One method in particular consists. in coating the bodies to be painted with an aqueous paste-like substance, such as those embodying raw sienna and carbon, which after dryingare inclined to come off in flaky masses. I After the body is sprayed or coated with this substance. it is placed in a heated drying chamber and allowed to bake until the substance has completely dried thereon. It is then taken from the drying chamber and .thejdried cleaning substance is removed from the surfaces, taking with it all undesirable foreign matter, and leaving a very clean surface. .This dried substance asmentioned before is in the form of flaky masses and is apt to come off rather hard after being ban'ed, which entails considerable time and manual labor with wire brushes and the like tending to retard quantity production.

In view of the above, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an economical and labor saving means for re moving body cleaning substances from vehicle bodies which are to be painted or lac quered, or for removing any other relatively loose material therefrom as may be desired.

Another object is to provide a means for mechanically removing cleaning or other substances from vehicle bodies.

Still another object is to provide mechanically operated brushes for removing body cleaning compounds or other substances from vehicle bodies.

A further object is to provide a pair of rotatable brushes adapted to contact with the sides and ends of a vehicle body, whereby to remove body cleaning substances or othermatter therefrom in order to prepare the same for painting.

These, being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawlngs, and-then claimed, having the above and other objects in view. a

\ Referring to the accom anying drawings which illustrate a suitab e embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the body cleanmg apparatus showing the cleaner brushes contacting with the sides of a vehicle body.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammaticv plan view showing a vehicle body just as it is about to be passed between the brushes and showing one of the brushes contacting with the rear ofthe body.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view such as Figure 3 except that the brush is contacting with the side of the body and the brush on the opposite side is in contact with the rear end of the body slightly past the point where he first mentioned brush contacted.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing both brushes contacting with the sides of the vehicle body.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1" showing the method of supporting the bottom of the swingable post.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 2 more clearly showing the method of supporting the upper end of the swingable post.

In the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several different views, abody 15 which is in the operation of being cleaned, is shown mounted on a truck 16 which isadapted to be guided b and moved along in the channel tracks 1;. The body 15 may be merely cleaned of the accumulation of foreign substances which adhere thereto during storage, or of a cleaning substance which has been applied thereto by coating or spraying the body with a cleaner solution that has dried thereon and is to be removed after the method of the present invention, the description of which follows.

Positioned on eachv side of the tracks '17 in staggered relation to each other are two vertically positioned rotatable brushes 18" and 18 of such a length as to extend completely over the height of the body 15. Each roe i and lower arms 19 and 20 respectively, each of which is secured atits opposite end to a shaft 21 which is rotatably supported at its upper end in a collar 22 anchored in place by angle braces 23 clearly shown in Flgure 7, and at its lower end in a support 24 positioned on the floor, as shown in Figure 6.

The upper arm 19 may be channel-shaped in section as'shown in Figure 1 to house a bearing 25 for the shaft 26, which supports the brush at its extreme free end, and 1s secured at the other'end to a pipe flange 27 which is threaded or'otherwise secured to the upper end of the shaft 21. A brace 28 helps support the arm 19. Thelower arm 20 is likewise outer en for thebrush shaft 26 and is suitrovided with a bearing 29 at its ably secured to the vertical shaft 21. The brace 30 like the brace 28 helps support the I .arm 20.

The general contour of thesides and rear end of the body 15 is at an angle to the vertical and the brushes 18 and 18 are set at a corresponding angle so that the diameter of the same may be reduced, otherwise the bottom ortions thereof would have tov be of consi erably larger-diameter so that they would properly contact with lower portions of the sides and rear end of the body 15. By setting the brushes 18 and1'8 in such a position, considerable saving is realized in the cost thereof due to the reduced diameter.

The normal inoperative position of, the

brushes 18 and 18 is shown in Figure 3 18' 18" is rotatable and the means shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises an electric motor 34 which drives the shaft 26 throu h the bevel gear 35 secured to this shaft, an the bevel pinion 36 which-is secured to a shaft 37 that is'connected directly to the motor 34. k The" 'shaft 37 is held in position b a support 38 secured to the arm 19, and l: ldlIlOtOl' 34 is preferably mounted on the shorter end of the arm 19 to even up or counterbalance the weight of the brush 18 or '18" thereby to allow easier rotation of the post 21 and preventing binding of-the same.

It is to be understood that the details of the supporting structure may be varied and that any type of drive ap licable to this device may be used equa y as well as the motor 34. p

I In operation, the 15 may be pushed '3 by the springs 31.

through manually. or may be carried between the brushes by a conveyor in the direction 15 first meets the first brush contacts-with the rear end slightly past the center thereof and as the body is carried forward the brush 18 is caused to swing outwardly and clean that half of the rear end of the body adjacent thereto. By the time the body has assumed the position shown in Figure '4 the brush '18 is contacting with the side of the body and the brush 18 has contacted with and is beginning to clean the other half of the rear end of the body starting where the brush 18 started toclean. As the body continues farther as shown in Fi ure 5 both brushes 18 and 18 contact wit sides of the body and clean the same. After the body has progressed farther through, the brushes go out 0 contact therewith and are drawn back to the position shown in Figure he motor maybe driven at a fairly high rate of speed but it is preferable that the body be moved past the brushes slowly to effect a better cleaning thereof. The brushes will thoroughly remove all traces of the cleanin substance and all the'dirt and rust loosened up b the same.

It may be esir'able in cleaning the bodies to moisten the same with water or other liquid, in which case any suitable means may be provided for that pur se.

The advantages of this met 0d of cleaning dust and dirt'remover from vehicle bodies are readily apparent, the main advantage being that considerable time and labor are saved as the operation is purel mechanical and manual rubbing of the b0 y with wire brushes and the like is substantially eliminated. 1

Formal changes may be made in the speciwithout departing from the spirit and substance of the.broad' invention the scope ofwhich is commensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for cleaning a vehiclebody moving along av definite path, a, generally vertical rotatahle brush-mounted between a pair of arms swingable about an axis outside the path of movement of said body, said arms'bemg swingable to move said brush to 'fie embodiment of the invention described I a point beyond the center of the .line of 'movemeat from said body, and ieldable means for urging said brush towar the center line of movement of said body.

2. In a device for cleaning a vehicle body, a pair of spaced rotatably mounted brushes between which a body is adapted to pass, each of said brushes. being mounted for swinging movement toward each other into the path of movement of said body, and

iao

each brush beingswingable to a point beyond the center line of the path of said body.

3. A device for cleaning a vehicle body, comprising a pair of generally vertically positioned rotatable brushes between which a body is adapted to pass, each of said brushes being swingably mounted about a line eccentric to the axis thereof and movable to a point beyond the center line of the path of said body, one of said brushes being movable into the path of movement of said body in advance of the other brush.

4. In a device for cleaning a vehicle body while moving on a guiding track, a rotatable brush swingably mounted on each side of said track, said brushes being staggered transversely with respect to said track and movable to overlapping relationship with respect to the center line thereof, and means for urging said brushes toward the path Signed by me at South Bend, Indiana,

U. S. A., this 11th day of June, 1926.

HEBER D. PARKER. 

